Antenna support structure



July 24, 1962 1 E. uNnERwooD 3,045,952

ANTENNA SUPPORT STRUCTURE Filed March 23, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1mvEN'roR: Y

LAWRENCE E. uNDr-:Rwooo ATTORNEYS July 24, 1962 L. E. UNDERwooD ANTENNASUPPORT STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 23, 1959 INVENTORILAWRENCE EfUN-DERWOOD ATTORNEYS 3,045,952 ANTENNA SUPPRT STRUCTURELawrence E. Underwood, 24296 Hesperian Blvd., Hayward, Calif. Filed Mar.23, 1959, Ser. No. 801,168 1 Claim. (Cl. 244-33) The present inventionrelates to means for supporting antennas, and is particularly directedto lighter-than-air antenna support structure.

In very high frequency communications such as television, frequencymodulation (FM) radio, radio link, and the like, the short wave lengthelectromagnetic waves propagate substantially by line-of-sight. Henceany obstruction, for example a hill or tall building, positioned in astraight line path between the transmitting antenna and a receivingantenna intercepts the high frequency waves and distorts, and in someinstances completely blocks reception of the signal. The foregoing isparticularly true in television reception where the receiver may be in ahollow or other critical location deladed from the transmitting antennasite.

In order to improve reception of very high frequency communicationswaves where obstructions are involved it is hence necessary that theantenna be placed in an unobstructed line of sight position high abovethe ground surface. To accomplish the foregoing various material rigidmast structures have been heretofore employed to support the antenna inelevated position. Such structures are seriously limited by variousstructural and economical considerations to relatively low heights; forexample, of the order of thirty feet. In many instances the feasibleheight is not sufficient to provide optimum reception of the very highfrequency waves. Moreover, such mast support structures are tedious andtime consuming to erect.

The present invention overcomes the limitations and diiiiculties ofconventional material mast antenna support structures by providing alighter-than-air support structure which is capable of supporting anantenna at heights heretofore unrealizable, e.g., heights of to 100 feetand even hundreds of feet.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide antennasupport structure which is capable of supporting antennas at extremeheights above the ground surface.

Another object of the invention is to materially irnprove the receptionof line-of-sight communication signals in fringe reception areas.

Yet another object is the provision of lighter than air antenna supportstructure which is relatively simple and economical in its construction.

A further object of this invention is to provide antenna supportstructure which may be erected and lowered quickly and easily.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of the invention which is illustratedin the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. Itisto be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by thesaid drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of theinvention as set forth in the claim.

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of the lighter-than-air antenna supportstructure of the present invention in erected position.

FGURE 2 is a plan view of this structure as viewed from plane 2 2 ofFIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view of a preferred embodiment of theballoon of the support structure.

Considering now the lighter-than-air antenna support liSSZ Patented.iuly 241, 1952 fice structure of the present invention and referring tothe drawing, the support structure is seen to generally comprise alighter-than-air vehicle, preferably a balloon 11 filled withlighter-than-air material adapted for supporting connection to anantenna 12, and guyed in xed position above the ground surface by aplurality of guy lines 13. The lighter-than-air material may be a gassuch as, for example, helium.

The envelope 14 of the balloon 11 is best multi-ply to the ends ofdurability and replaceability. More speciiically, envelope 14, asillustrated in FIGURE 3, preferably comprises an inflatable plasticinner bladder 16 having a valve 17 at its lower extremes to facilitatelling with the lighter than air material. Inner bladder 16 is disposedwithin a nylon bag 18 having a Lzipper opening 19 to permit insertion ofthe bladder. The intermediate bag 1S is in turn contained within anouter covering bag 21 made preferably from heavy canvas or the like.Outer bag 21 is similarly provided with a Zipper opening 22 tofacilitate insertion of intermediate bag 1S and bladder 16 containedtherein. The Zipper openings 19 and 22 additionally facilitate readyaccess to valve 17 for the purpose of periodically replenishinglighter-than-air material to the bladder 16.

A pair of antenna support rings 23, 24 are secured in coaxial spacedrelation to outer bag 21 on opposite sides of an equatorial buyfastening ring 26 secured thereto. rThe rings 23, 24, 26 may be imbeddedin the outer bag 21 or otherwise rigidly fixed thereto. Rings 23, 24, 26moreover are best fabricated from tubing of light weight structuralmaterial, such as aluminum, so as to be as light weight as possible. Theantenna proper 12 may then be rigidly secured to rings 23, 2das by meansof support brackets 27 attached thereto and detachably connectable to,for example, a short vertical post 28 secured at its end to the antenna.

The guy ylines 13, of which there may be `any desirable number, :aresecured to ring 26 as by brackets 29 at points of equal angularseparation. In the instance of the four guy lines depicted in thedrawing, the lines are respectively separated by degrees of arc in theirconnection to ring 26. Guy lines 13 then extend downwardly from theballoon 11 and are secured to the ground surface at points ofcorresponding angular separation.

In order that the lighter-than-air antenna support structure of thepresent invention rnay be readily and quickly erected `and lowered formaintenance or in case of a severe storm, it is preferable that suitablecontrollable play-out means be employed in the securing of the guy linesto the ground surface. More specifically, a pulley 31 is secured to theground surface as by means of a pier 32 rigidly mounted thereon at eachof the guy line anchor points of equal angular separation at the groundsurface. The planes of pulley 31 moreover are disposed to intersect atcommon center, i.e., the planes of the pulleys `are radially disposed. Apier 33 is secured to the ground surface at the common center. Avertical shaft 34 is journalled to pier 33 as by means of verticallyspaced-apart journal bearings 36, 37 secured thereto. A plurality ofpulleys 38 corresponding to the number of guy lines 13 employed are inturn secured in coaxial juxtaposition to shaft 34 and means are providedto controllably rotate same. Such means may be, for example, a motorcoupled in rotational driving relation to shaft 34 or as depicted in thedrawing, a manually operable hand crank 39 secured to the end of theshaft. The guy lines 13 respectively engage pulleys 31 and are ledtherefrom each to a different one of the pulleys 38 for rotatableengagement therewith. The shaft 34 may consequently be rotated tosimultaneously play-out or pull-in guy lines 13 and hence functions as awinch or windlass. Upon playing out the guy lines 13 to the desiredheight of the antenna supporting balloon 3 11 above the ground surface,the balloon is retained in such position `as -by means of conventionalbraking means (not shown) engageable with shaft 34.

In order that the signal received by the antenna 12 may in turn berelayed to the ground surface, -a conventional lead-in transmission line41 is conductively connected thereto and trails downwardly therefrom.The transmission line 41 may be `for example played-out simultaneouslyWith the guy lines as from an additional pulley (not shown).

Considering now the operation of 'the lighter-thanair antenna `support`structure of the present invention, the inner bladder 16 of balloon 11is rst inflated with lighter than air material and the zippered openingsof the intermediate and outer bags 18, 21 are closed. The antenna 12 is`secured to support rings 23, 24 by post 28 and brackets 27. With guylines 13 secured to the balloon 11 and in operable relation to pulleys31 and 38, the winch shaft 34 is rotated to slowly and simultaneouslyplay out the guy lines 13 as' the balloon carries the antenna withtransmission line 39 coupled thereto to `an elevated position. Uponattaining the desired height above the gl'ound surface, the yshaft 34 islocked to prevent further rotation. The initial angular orientation ofthe antenna 12 may be appropriately varied as by interchanging pairs ofguy lines in their relations to pulleys 31. In the case of four guylines, the orientation may be thus changed in steps of 90 degrees ofarc. The balloon 11 and antenna 12 aixed thereto may be withdrawn to theground surface as desired `for purposes of maintenance and the likemerely by `rotating shaft 34 in the reversed direction.

The present invention hence provides novel support means for lthe rapidand easy erection of `antennas t0 Clt heights heretofore unrealizable.In various embodiments of the invention, the antenna support structuremay be employed for individual home use as well as for large groups ofusers such `as entire towns and cities.

What is claimed is:

An antenna structure of the character described including a ballooninflated with lighter than air material, generally rigid antennaattachment means secured to said balloon, a receiving t'antennayattached to said means and including a lead-in transmission line havinga length sulcient to reach the ground when the balloon is in the air, aplurality of guy lines secured to said balloon at points ofsubstantially `equal circumferential spacing 1around an equatorialportion of the balloon, controllable guy line play-out means attached toIsaid guy lines and receiving the latter at `a Isubstantially commonpoint on the `gorund for selectively raising and lowering said balloonand maintaining the balloon and the antenna mounted thereon in apredetermined xed directional position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS691,719 Greth Jan. 2l, 1902 803,573 Eubank Nov. 7, 1905 1,396,489Williams Nov. 8, 1921n 1,414,273 Gwynn Apr. 25, 1922 2,151,336 Schal-lauMar. 2l, 1939 2,398,744 Jalbert Apr. 16, 1946 OTHER REFERENCES yPage 521of catalogue of Montgomery Ward, Spring and Summer 1958.

